South O' the Highway (and the North too)

Hamptons regular Diddy announced that his new high-concept album, "Last Train to Paris," due September 22, will tell a love story and feature an accompanying movie. The album's story begins when Diddy's character and his female band mates go on tour overseas, and he meets the woman of his dreams.

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Sag Harbor's Susan Taylor and Khephra Burns received the Visionary Award at the 5th Annual "Grace in Winter" gala benefiting Ronald K. Brown's Evidence, A Dance Company. Bridgehampton's Don and Katrina Peebles served as gala chairs, and bestselling author and broadcast journalist Rene Syler was the mistress of ceremonies at the elegant dinner-dance held at The Plaza on February 3.

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Author, editor and Hamptons resident Alexandra Penney, among those affected by Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, secured a book deal with Voice, an imprint of Disney's Hyperion Books. Penney has blogged about the effects of her financial situation on Tina Brown's popular web site, The Daily Beast, and will elaborate on these stories in a memoir.

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Quogue's Walter Stockton, the CEO of Independent Group Home Living Foundation (IGHL), based in Manorville, is a busy man. The IGHL 30th Anniversary Gala, May 14, will honor Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Their 19th Annual St. Patrick's Day Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner takes place on Friday, March 13, from 4-8pm, and their first annual Fashion Show will be held at Westhampton Country Club on Saturday, June 27.

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Accomplished lyricist Mae Richard passed away suddenly at her Manhattan home last week. Richard's Off Broadway successes included "Tallulah" and "Mae Time." She and her husband, attorney Howard Richard, hosted many infamous parties at their East Hampton home, where everyone sang, danced and played ping pong. Richard is survived by her husband and two adult children, a son and daughter. A slender, attractive woman who never revealed her age, Richard was probably in her mid- to late 80s at the time of her death. She had been working on a new musical based on a Mark Twain short story when she passed away.

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On Thursday, March 19, the LongHouse Reserve will host an intimate evening benefit at one of the oldest literary clubs in the United States, The Lotos Club in New York City. Longtime supporter and Pulitzer Prize winning author Edward Albee will join Tony Award winning actress Marian Seldes for a dramatic reading of Edward Albee's play "Counting the Way," - a humorous and poignant exploration of a couple questioning their love for each other.

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